Ice skate sharpener

ABSTRACT

The invention comprises an improved ice skate grinding, sharpening and contouring machine. The machine includes novel means to accurately center an ice skate between the heel and sole struts in a movable holding fixture and means to select the best contour position on the blade as a function of intended skate usage. As an example, the best blade contour for a hockey forward requires a deeper grind below the forward strut than the contour for a hockey defenseman. The centering feature assures that the skate contour desired will be accurately ground onto the blade and pitched forward the desired amount. Means to adjust the blade position relative to the blade holding fixture for pitching are disclosed in one embodiment. In an alternative embodiment means for pitching the entire fixture as desired are disclosed. Figure skates can be advantageously centered and pitched as desired with the invention for accommodating the particular requirements of the figure skater.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention is in the field of ice skate sharpening and relates tomachines for sharpening skates in a reproducible and accurate manner.Such machines are exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,907,213, 3,719,006 and3,839,828.

Where a specific blade contour is desired, template or cam followingmachines have been developed and are exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos.3,040,481 and 3,789,551. Such machines, while providing contouringcapability as a function of the cam or template profile selected, do notincorporate means to longitudinally center the skate between the heeland sole struts in a convenient and reproducible manner. For best skateperformance, the skate blades should be contoured and pitched about thecenterline between the struts for the skater's intended use. Thus, ahockey defenseman's skate has a contour different from a hockeyforward's skate and both are different from a goalie's skate. Theparticular contours and pitches must be reproducible when the skates areresharpened or replaced with new skates.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention comprises an improved ice skate grinding, sharpening andcontouring machine and utilizes a flat bed plate having a rotatablemotor powered arbor mounted grinding wheel thereon. An ice skate isclamped in a fixture that is slideable on the flat bed. The fixtureincludes cam follower means adapted to engage a cam or template,sometimes known as a radius bar, removably affixed to the flat bed. Withthe skate clamped in the fixture, the fixture is manually guided by thegrinding wheel with the cam follower means in engagement with the cam.

The novel improvements include a pair of dowels extending upwardly inparallel from separate blocks. The blocks engage a single horizontalscrew with right and left hand threads, thereby permitting the blocks tobe simultaneously adjusted in opposite directions perpendicular to theaxes of the dowels. In centering a hockey skate the dowels are separateduntil they simultaneously engage both struts and the tubular bladeholder. The blade can then be clamped tightly to the fixture.

The dowels are movable to alternative locations on the blocks moresuitable for figure skates which do not have the tubular clamp and strutconfiguration. The dowels are then adjusted to simultaneously contactthe struts and heel and sole plates of the blades for centering andalignment.

Optionally, one dowel is rotatably adjustable and eccentrically mountedor provided with several different effective radii. Selection of anappropriate dowel radius determines the depth of grind on the forwardportion of the blade relative to the rear portion of the blade. Thus,accurately ground and contoured blades, pitched forward to the degreedesired, can be produced and reproduced with the invention. In analternative embodiment the cam follower means can be adjusted to pitchthe entire fixture and skate relative to the cam to provide the forwardpitch desired.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the skate sharpening machine with a partialhockey skate blade superimposed thereon;

FIG. 2 is a partial side view of the skate sharpening machine;

FIG. 3 is a partial front view of the skate sharpening machine;

FIG. 4 is a partial cutaway plan view of the dowel blocks;

FIG. 5 is a partial cutaway view of an optional adjustable pitchingdowel taken along the line 5 -- 5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a partial cutaway plan view of the dowel blocks with a partialfigure skate superimposed thereon;

FIG. 7 is a partial plan view of an alternative means for pitching askate blade for grinding;

FIG. 8 is a view of the optional pitching means taken along the line 8-- 8 in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a partial plan view of an optional cam retaining means;

FIG. 10 is a partial end view of the optional cam retaining means ofFIG. 9; and,

FIG. 11 is a cutaway view of the optional cam retaining means of FIG. 9taken along the line 11 -- 11 of FIG. 10.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In FIG. 1 the skate sharpening machine comprises a flat bed plate 10having mounted thereon a rotatable grinding wheel arbor 12 and agrinding wheel 14. The arbor 12 is mounted in a covered support 16 witha dust cover 18 thereattached and extending partially about the grindingwheel 14. The covered support 16 may enclose a direct drive grindingwheel motor or an arbor pulley and a belt extending through a hole inthe bed plate 10 to a motor located thereunder. Both above grindingwheel arbor drive means are well known in the art and therefore notshown.

Removably attached to the bed plate 10 are a pair of opposed cam ortemplate retainers 20 and 22 each having a plurality of notches 24adapted to retain one or more cams or templates 26. Although four cams26 are shown in FIG. 1 only the single cam selected for a particularskate need be in the cam retainers 20 and 22. Each of the cam retainers20 and 22 is fastened to the bed plate 10 with a single socket headscrew 28 or similar means. The bed plate includes several threaded holes30 suitably spaced in parallel relationship at either side of the bedplate 10. The cam retainers 20 and 22 and cams 26 can be shifted as awhole toward or away from the grinding wheel 14 to select a differentskate contour as desired or individual cams 26 can be removed andreinserted in notches 24 as desired.

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 a skate holding fixture generally denoted by 32 restsupon a bed plate 10. The base 34 of the fixture 32 includes a smoothbottom surface 36 and a raised handle portion 38. Depending from theraised handle 38 are a pair of roller cam followers 40 adapted to engagea cam contour surface 42. Mounted on the base 34 is a lower clamping jawsupport 44 having dove tail rails 46 adapted to engage a dovetail rail48 on the base 34. An adjustment screw 50 having a knurled knob 52engages a threaded bore hole 54 in an upstanding portion 56 integralwith the base 34. The end of the screw 50 extends into a bore hole 58located in an upstanding portion 60 of the support 44. The screw 50includes a circumferential neck 62 adapted to slideably engage an offcenter pin 64 in turn tightly fitted in a hole 66 in the portion 60.Rotation of the screw 50 causes the support 44 to slideably move on thedovetail rail 48 relative to the base 34 and thereby provide horizontalskate adjustment means on the fixture perpendicular to the axis ofrotation of the grinding wheel 14.

Attached to the support 44 is a lower jaw 68. The attachment means forthe lower jaw 68 comprises socket head screws 70 engaging the lower jaw68 through oblong holes 72 and engaging the support 44 in threaded holes74. Beneath the lower jaw 68 are twin vertical adjustment screws 76 forsetting the elevation of the jaw above the bed plate 10. The screws 76engage threaded holes 78 in the support 44 and bear upon the undersideof the jaw 68.

Centrally located on the support 44 is a block 80 having an arm 82extending upwardly and over an upper clamping jaw 84. As best shown forclarity in FIG. 4 the arm 82 is fastened to the block 80 with sockethead screws 86 and the block 80 in turn is fastened to the support 44with countersunk flat head screws 88. The clamping jaw 84 is slotted at90 to provide a fulcrum engagement with the arm 82. A threaded clampingscrew 92 engages the arm 82 through a threaded hole 94 and bears uponthe upper surface of the clamping jaw 84. A handle 96 completes theclamping screw 92.

As shown ghosted in FIGS. 1 and 2 a hockey or racing skate is clampedwith the blade 98 inserted between the jaws 68 and 84 at the propervertical elevation above the bed plate 10 as determined by the verticaladjustment screws 76. Hockey skates are conventionally made with a clamptube 100 extending substantially the length of the blade 98 and struts102 supporting the shoe portion (not shown). The skate is centeredhorizontally in the fixture 32 by vertically extending dowels 104mounted in turn on dowel blocks 106. The dowel blocks 106 includedovetail rails 108 in engagement with dovetail guide rails 110 in turnmounted in a channel 112 in the support 44. The dowel blocks 106 eachinclude a co-axial bore hole 114, one of which has a right hand threadand the other a left hand thread adapted to engage a long screw 116having matching right and left hand threads. The screw 116 includes aknurled knob 118 and passes through an unthreaded bore hole 120 in theblock 80. A narrow neck 122 on the screw 116 slideably engages a pin 124inserted in a vertical bore hole 126 in the block 80 as best shown inFIG. 4. As is best shown in FIG. 1, before the blade 98 is tightlyclamped, rotation of the screw 116 to increase the distance between thedowels 104 until each contact both the upper surface of the skate clamptube 100 and a strut 102 assures that the skate is properly centered inthe fixture 32. The blade 98 is thereby accurately and reproduciblylocated lengthwise relative to the contour cam selected when the camfollower rollers are in contact with the cam surface 42.

In FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 two identical dowels 104 are shown. Optionally, asshown in FIGS. 4 and 5 a standard dowel 104 is located on the left mostdowel block 106 and an alternative adjustable dowel 104' is mounted onthe right most dowel block 106. Each dowel block 106 includes a threadedsocket 128 adapted to engage a threaded stud 130 on either a standarddowel 104 or alternative dowel 104'. The standard dowel 104 on the leftcontacts the skate front strut 102 at 132 and the clamp tube 100 at 134with the toe of the skate blade 98 to the left. Either a standard dowel104 or the adjustable dowel 104' shown contacts the rear strut at 136for proper centering of the skate. The adjustable dowel 104', however,contacts the clamp tube 100 at 138 with one of the four differingselectable radii as measured from the axis of the dowel. Preferably, oneof the radii is equal to the standard dowel 104 radius and the otherthree radii are sequentially incrementally smaller. The smaller radiican be formed by flats 140, 142 and 144 on dowel 104' or aneccentrically mounted dowel can be used. The adjustable dowel 104'includes a central headed pin 146 threaded tightly into a base 148, thebase 148 in turn having a threaded stud 130 for engagement with a dowelsocket 128 as shown in FIG. 5. At least one ball detent 150 and spring152 within the lower end of the dowel 104' is engageable with sockets154 in the base 148 to retain the dowel 104' in the position selected.

Selection of one of the flats 140, 142 or 144 causes the forward portionof the blade 98 (toward the left) to be ground more than the rearportion. This pitching of the skate blade pitches the skater forwardthereby improving the novice's skating posture by causing his knees tobend and hips to unlock. Some pitching is preferred by a hockey forwardto provide quickness in cutting. In contrast, a hockey defensemanprefers the blade ground with the curved cam contour desired but withoutthe pitching. Typically, the flats provide 1/32 inch, 1/16 inch and 3/32inch decreases in radius of the dowel 104' relative to the unflattedfourth position. Goalie skates and speed skates are preferably groundstraight over substantially the entire blade length. One cam contour 156is provided for such skates. The other cam contours may have circularradii of curvature typically of 9 to 11 feet. Cam contours are notlimited to circular arcs but may have other curves or straight portionsas desired.

In FIG. 6 a portion of a figure skate blade 158 and boot 160 is shownghosted in proper position resting on the lower jaw 68. The struts 162and blade 158 are of integral construction and so formed that alternatemeans of centering the skate relative to the struts are required. Thedowels 104 are mounted in alternate sockets 164 in the dowel blocks 106.The screw 116 is rotated as above to center the skate in the fixture,however, the dowels contact the heel plate at 166 and sole plate at 168of the skate 160. The rear strut is contacted at 170 and front strut at172 with the toe of the skate to the left. With the skate in contact atall four points on the dowels 104, the blade 158 can be clamped tightlyand accurately in the fixture 32 about the centerline between the struts162. This centering means allows figure skates as well as hockey skatesto be accurately centered and ground. Screws in the heel and sole platesof some figure skates may have to be removed temporarily for accuratelocating in the fixture 32. The adjustable dowel 104' is shown in FIG. 6located in the left socket 164 for pitching the blade 158 forward asdesired when grinding a figure skate clamped with the toe to the left.

In FIGS. 7 and 8 an alternative means for adjusting the pitch of a skateis disclosed. Rather than pitch the skate in the fixture 32, the entirefixture is pitched by adjusting the position of a cam follower 40'relative to the handle portion 38. The cam follower 40' depends from ablock 174 which is slideably adjustable in a slot 176 traversing thehandle 38. An oblong through hole 178 accommodates the supporting shaft180 for the follower 40'. A second oblong hole 182 is formed in theblock 174 to accommodate a retention screw 184 which engages a threadedhole 186 in the handle 38. A scale 188 is included to facilitateadjustment when the retention screw is loosened and the block 174 moved.

In FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 an alternative means of mounting a cam 26' isshown. The cam 26' is slotted 190 at each end to engage threaded studs192. Wing nuts 194 and washers 196 clamp the cam 26' to the studs 192and bars 198 to which the studs are attached. Short links 200 are hingedat 202 to the bars 198 and hinged at 204 to retaining bars 206 in turnfastened beneath the table or bed plate 10 with screws 208 or othersuitable means. Thus, cams 26' can be interchanged by loosening the wingnuts 194 or the fixture 32 can be lifted slightly to permit the cam 26'to be swung down underneath the bed plate 10 when not in use.

The location of the fixture 32 between a cam 26 or 26' and the grindingwheel 14 lessens the change of grinding debri interference with theaccurate movement of the followers 40 or 40' on the cam. Any collectionof debri adjacent the cam is readily apparent to the operator andconveniently removed after temporarily lifting the cam out of position.

I claim:
 1. In an ice skate sharpening fixture for retaining an iceskate therein, the ice skate including at least two struts extendingupwardly from the ice skate blade and a center location equidistant fromthe struts,the improvement comprising means to center the ice skatelengthwise in the fixture with respect to both ice skate struts suchthat the center location remains the same relative to the fixtureregardless of the distance between the struts.
 2. The skate sharpeningfixture of claim 1, wherein the centering means are adjustable toaccommodate differing distances between the struts.
 3. The skatesharpening fixture of claim 2, wherein the centering means include meanssimultaneously engageable with the struts and the clamp tube of a hockeyskate.
 4. The skate sharpening fixture of claim 2, wherein the centeringmeans include means simultaneously engageable with the struts and theheel and sole plates of a figure skate.
 5. The skate sharpening fixtureof claim 2, wherein the fixture includes means adapted to guide themovement of the fixture and an ice skate centered therein.
 6. The skatesharpening fixture of claim 5, wherein the guide means include followermeans adjustable on the fixture to pitch the fixture and an ice skatetherein relative to the follower means.
 7. The skate sharpening fixtureof claim 5, wherein the centering means include a pair of dowels adaptedto engage ice skate struts.
 8. The skate sharpening fixture of claim 2,wherein the centering means includes pitching means adapted to pitch anice skate in the fixture relative to the fixture.
 9. The skatesharpening fixture of claim 8, wherein the centering means include apair of dowels adapted to engage ice skate struts and the pitching meanscomprise means to selectably change the effective radius of at least onedowel at a contact point with an ice skate other than a strut contactpoint.
 10. In an ice skate sharpening machine comprising grinding means,fixture means for retaining an ice skate therein, the ice skateincluding at least two struts extending upwardly from the ice skateblade and a center location equidistant from the struts, and means toguide the fixture means along a predetermined path relative to thegrinding means,the improvement characterized by means to center the iceskate lengthwise in the fixture means with respect to both ice skatestruts such that the center location remains the same relative to thefixture means regardless of the distance between the struts.
 11. Theskate sharpening machine of claim 10, wherein the centering meansinclude adjustment means to accommodate differing distances betweenstruts.
 12. The skate sharpening machine of claim 11, wherein thecentering means include means simultaneously engageable with the strutsand the clamp tube of a hockey skate.
 13. The skate sharpening machineof claim 11, wherein the centering means include means simultaneouslyengageable with the struts and the heel and sole plates of a figureskate.
 14. The skate sharpening machine of claim 11, wherein the guidemeans comprise cam and follower means.
 15. The skate sharpening machineof claim 14, wherein the follower means is mounted on the fixture meansand is adjustable thereon to pitch the fixture means and an ice skatetherein relative to the follower means.
 16. The skate sharpening machineof claim 11, wherein the centering means include a pair of dowelsadapted to engage ice skate struts.
 17. The skate sharpening machine ofclaim 11, wherein the centering means includes pitching means adapted topitch an ice skate in the fixture means relative to the fixture means.18. The skate sharpening machine of claim 17, wherein the centeringmeans include a pair of dowels adapted to contact ice skate struts andthe pitching means comprise means to selectably change the effectiveradius of at least one dowel at a contact point on an ice skate otherthan a strut contact point.
 19. The skate sharpening machine of claim11, wherein the adjustment means include dual blocks movable in oppositedirections relative to each other and the centering means includes atleast one dowel mounted on each block, the axes of said dowelsperpendicular to the direction of movement of said blocks and adapted tocontact ice skate struts.
 20. The skate sharpening machine of claim 19,wherein each block includes at least two selectable mounting positionsfor a dowel.
 21. The skate sharpening machine of claim 20, wherein atleast one dowel includes means to selectably change the effective radiusthereof at a contact point on an ice skate other than a strut contactpoint.
 22. The skate sharpening machine of claim 10, wherein the fixturemeans is generally located between the grinding means and the guidemeans.
 23. The skate sharpening machine of claim 22, wherein the guidemeans comprise cam and follower means, the cam means being selectablyinterchangeable.
 24. In an ice skate sharpening fixture for retaining anice skate therein, the ice skate including at least two struts extendingupwardly from the ice skate blade and a center location equidistant fromthe struts,the improvement comprising means to locate the ice skatelengthwise in the fixture with respect to both ice skate struts suchthat the center location remains the same relative to the fixtureregardless of the distance between the struts.
 25. The skate sharpeningfixture of claim 24, wherein the locating means include meanssimultaneously engageable with both struts.
 26. The skate sharpeningfixture of claim 24, wherein the locating means include a pair of dowelsadapted to engage ice skate struts.
 27. The method of sharpening andcontouring an ice skate blade which comprises the steps of:placing theice skate blade in a fixture for retaining the blade therein, the iceskate including at least two struts extending upwardly from the iceskate blade and a center location equidistant from the struts, centeringthe ice skate blade in the fixture with respect to both struts of theblade such that the center location remains the same relative to thefixture regardless of the distance between the struts, clamping the iceskate blade tightly in the fixture, and guiding the fixture along apredetermined path relative to grinding means thereby contacting the iceskate blade with the grinding means and in consequence sharpening andcontouring the ice skate blade.